Nice to meet you, Dick
by klylu
Summary: “His smell lingered on the pillow, and the bed still held his warmth”. Yeah, i know. That’s cheating, really... MA
1. Nice to meet you, Dick

Disclaimer: not mine. not at all. nope. sad, huh?

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Max's eyes fluttered open. At the same time, the first hot wave of pain radiated thru her, so she kept still. Every fiber in her body felt heavy, aching and exhausted, like she had been sleeping 12 hours straight after running a marathon carrying bricks. Did she usually run marathons carrying bricks? Strange... pushing her body to the limits didn't seem an alien feeling to her... but the sleeping part was downright unsettling.

In a blink of an eye, she realized a few things. She didn't know where she was, why she was there and, most important, why she didn't remember anything. Not.a.Damn.Clue.

But that wasn't entirely true, was it? She knew she was Max. Well... she didn't have the slightest idea on _who_ Max was, but still. She was Max. _Max_. And she was sure it mattered, somehow, to be Max. She said it once, twice, inside her head. She liked how it sounded... A damn fine name, not too girlish (cuz she did know she was a girl), and that suited her. It belonged to her.

_Max_. A good point to start with. What more?

If her conscious mind was lost, a primal, almost instinctual but definitely trained part of her clicked in. She felt her body relax, gauging her physical conditions was her first priority.

No broken bones. _Check_.

No bleeding wounds. _Check_.

No missing fingers. _Check_.

Huge bump in the head. _Check._

Splitting, throbbing headache. _Double check_.

That bossy side of her took completely charge, and didn't let her panic in spite of the situation. Instead, she carefully took in the unfamiliar surroundings (anonymous, cheap motel room. _Check_), but still she didn't move, didn't stir. Deep inside, she remembered the need to feel safe, to gain the upper hand to face... what? The enemy? Well, that could be the case.

Because she wasn't alone.

Max had sensed his presence from the start, before opening her eyes. His smell lingered on the pillow, and the bed still held his warmth. And why on earth did that seem a good thing, girl? God, get a grip on yourself, soldier!

Soldier? ... enemy?? What the hell?

She had examined her bodily functions and had performed a brief, visual "reconnaissance". Now she just needed to assess and inventory all her clues (ahemm... again, where did that come from? and why did it sounded so appalling anyway?).

Regaining consciousness in a strange room, without remembering a thing, probably due to the concussion obviously caused by someone knocking you on the head... someone who could have easily dragged your out cold body God knows where... And said stranger clearly invading your personal space...

That was bad, real bad. Realization hit her, and all her senses screamed in alarm.

Okay, better rephrase that: all her senses should have been screaming in alarm.

She was Max. _Good_.

She despised military jargon. _Uhmm... helpful?_

Someone had knocked her unconscious. _Scary._

Her head was going to explode (or implode, whatever). _Blinding painful and kinda gross._

Said someone had kidnapped her and (supposedly) locked her in a room at the Norman Bates Motel... _Creepy._

And she wasn't terrified at all? _Well, that was plain weird._

The hypothetical kidnapper was sitting on the bed, on _her_ bed, barefoot, with his left jeans clad leg tucked under himself, absent-mindedly looking outsight the window. One hand was tapping on the pane, the other resting lightly on her knee, in a comforting sort of way. Reassuring her of his presence? Soothing his restlessness? She didn't know. Maybe both, she guessed. The sun was setting somewhere, and the light was too dim, but oddly she could make out every feature of his face. Dirty blond hair, sparkling hazel eyes, and soft, luscious, kissable lips...

His demeanor seemed relaxed, but she wasn't fooled for a second. It wasn't the tapping to give him away, and she couldn't exactly say how, but she knew he was scanning the area, checking every potential threat, keeping her safe. Suddenly, an image popped in her mind: a big, sleek jungle cat, muscles edgy and tense, ready to jump.

Her eyes roamed on the pretty boy (_pretty?_), and she was glad for his pretended quietness... she savoured the moment, like she knew it was a rare occurrence.

The second she focused on the barcode on his neck though, her mind begun reeling. A barcode? On his neck? And why on earth she could _read_ it?

In an instant, she jerked into a sitting position, a blinding need to touch it, to acknowledge it. Max gently grazed the barcode with the tips of her digits. Yeah, she could decode it, making out the numbers from the black short lines. Still, it spelled Alec.

_Alec._

She smiled.

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Alec was lost in thoughts, while he distractedly watched thru the window the ordinaries leading their ordinary lives. Contrary to the popular belief, he _could_ do two things at once, and while he was trying to sort out all the frantic events happened in the last couple of days, he was effectively dismissing all that normalcy to detect any more "familiar" menace. Actually, not screwing up was his third goal.

He was pretty sure he had no blame if everything had turned out so badly. None. No sir. _Logan_ had discovered another not so secret hang out of that creepy breeding cult. _Max and Mole_ had planned a mission to gather more information about them. _Logan and Mole_ had insisted he should be Max's back up.

So... if it was painful evident (now) that the haunt wasn't a hot spot, but... a storage? a reptile house? or whatever, for the loonies' pet snakes, if the mission had gone kaboom, if he miserably sucked as a back up, whose fault it was?

Honestly, Alec knew better.

Well... he could agree getting bitten by one of those aforementioned snakes wasn't his smartest move. Of course, it was an unavoidable consequence that Max had to carry him to keep the spreading of the venom to the minimum... and she couldn't have been gentler if she was carry fucking bricks, for God's sake. Again, not his fault if while running thru the woods she lost her balance and cushioned _his_ fall with _her_ body, ending headfirst against a big, solid, _granite_ rock.

He had carried her afterwards (a lot more gentlemanly, to tell the truth), soon discovering that the venom didn't affect him as well. Now they were hiding in a shabby motel... Max still passed out, and Alec pouting.

So what? if he felt like pouting a little now, he could bloody well do it. Of course, it was an entirely unsettled issue if he was pouting because it was his fault Max was still unconscious, so little and fragile, instead of yelling at him and kicking his ass for screwing up, _again_, like she should... or only just because as said girl was still knocked out, pouting was still an option. No way he would do that otherwise...

Her touch startled him out of his reverie. So much for comatose... couldn't that girl sleep at least after losing a match with a five tons rock? But really, it was the unexpected tenderness that froze him on the spot...

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Under her touch, he briefly tensed, and then relaxed. She was tracing his barcode, as committing it to her memory. The gentle exploring became a caress, and he closed his eyes. Without a conscious thought, Alec inclined his head backwards, so that her fingers entangled in his hair till he actually purred. But it didn't last long.

The muffled voice of the reason inside his mind finally reached him, and he realized that something was off. His eyes snapped open, and almost unwillingly Alec slowly turned to face her.

Suddenly Max was lost in a hazel sea of concern. She tried hard not to drown, and to concentrate on reading his expression. Well, that was quite an easy task, even if Max didn't exactly remember that the look of apprehension usually would have been kept hidden under his anything-goes façade. It was plain obvious now that he was worried sick. About her.

Okay, time for another scenario.

Rewind. Add new clues.

She was Max. _Good._

He was Alec. _Very good._

She had hit (hard) her head somewhere. _Plain foolish._

Said head was still going to explode/implode. _Still_ _painful and still gross._

And her (undeniably) hot, supposedly let's say... _boyfriend?_ was taking care of her. _Bonus. Big, very big bonus._

She liked it better this way.

She smiled again.

TBC

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A/N: about that immunity thing... i'm not sure they all were. And, this being the case, if they knew it. It's not like i care, anyway... lol.


	2. I liked her better when she was unconsci

chapter 2: I liked her better when she was unconscious

A/N: do you remember 1° season Max, don't you? Yeah, me too... lol (and i really hope i got her!!)

A/N2: this was beta'd! but since i kept on writing and adding and changing things again and again, just _blame_ ImbloodyEnglish for all the goodness, and _credit_ me for every mistakes!

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"So, basically we're genetically empowered killing machines, that your average secret agency cooked up in a lab by combing animal and human DNA to create the perfect soldier, right?"

_Huh?_ "Yeah, that's right".

"And, more specifically, we're here on a mission to gather information on a bunch of crazed, super strong, snake-worshipping holy rollers who played God with us but now they want to waste us in order to preserve their superior race or something?"

_Oookay... _"Actually, the mad scientist was just one of them. And we don't really know if he was, you know, really madder than the average familiar dude or... Max? Where are you going?"

"Out. Need air, as well as something to eat. My headache's worse than before, and I think it's time to take a break from "memory lane". So... are you going to take me out for dinner?"

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Max placed just the right amount of flirtatiousness into her question. First, because she really needed some fresh air and food, second, since she abandoned the "psychopath kidnapper" hypothesis, she'd get to keep the hot boyfriend scenario she had going on right now. It was way better working on that one.

But his bewildered look wasn't the expected reaction, and she had to restrain the urge to close his hanging mouth.

Shrugging slightly, she took his hand to pull him up and out of his stupor. Food now. Philosophical questions later.

"... I'd pay for it, _really_, but I kinda forgot where I put my wallet, you know?"

Max's touch startled Alec out of his reverie, but when he finally moved towards the door, she didn't let go his hand.

She didn't know if hand-holding was a common thing between them, but it felt right somehow. The sensation put a bounce on her step as she chatted away until they reached a greasy diner that looked like it was owned by someone who shared the same lack of taste as their landlord. Settling into a corner booth, she hoped the food was better than the decor.

She glanced briefly at Alec over the worn-out menu. He looked still a little dumbfounded.

Max knew her own reaction to the whole amnesia thing was quite odd, to put it mildly.

The funny thing about all of it was that the more comfortable she felt, the more anxious _he_ became.

Even if she couldn't remember anything, with the exception of their names, she _knew_ she could trust him. She felt that deep inside, like the weird need to smack him upside the head. Or was it kissing him? Well... maybe both.

And that totally insane story he told her? Again, oddly familiar. Like an old fairy tale your grandma used to tell you when you were a little child.

Well, since in her case a grandmother was out of the question, more like a fairy tale her brother, Ben, had whispered to her so many years ago.

Ben...

Alec's voice held a hint of pain when he'd talked about him. Even throughout his epic and adventurous narration of her own life, Max had sensed thick layers consisting of hurt, guilty trips and responsibilities.

That was one heavy emotional background to absorb, no kidding. At certain points during his telling of her life she felt a strong urge to run. But since he clearly chose not to indulge on the more masochistic aspects of her life, she just followed his description, picturing herself as a rogue, a bitchy, kick-you-into-a-bloody-pulp kinda girl.

Yep, she could live with that.

Listening to him describe her life, several images slowly popped in her mind, like old yellowed photos long forgotten.

Ben, with his shadow theatre on the bare walls of Manticore.

Herself, riding a black bike into the night, adrenaline and _joy _coursing thru her body.

A night out, with a black beauty, a funny looking, scruffy boy and Alec, sharing a pitcher.

She still couldn't connect the dots, but where her memory failed her, his voice, rich with emotions riding just beneath the surface, tied her to her past.

As she listened to a brief summary of her life, she also took the time to observe him, since he was her only link to her previous existence.

He was a constant presence in those snapshots.

Riding along with her. On the Space Needle. Chatting on a ragged coach. Playing pool. Always smirking, smug and self confident. Always looking at her.

It was a shame that those pictures didn't come with a caption or something. Because she really wanted to know the feelings, _Max's feelings_, associated to those images.

Maybe... she should simply ask him, right?

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Alec was relieved. And absolutely confused.

Max was finally awake, talking, pacing around the small room, asking for milk... Sure, she didn't have her memories but at least there was no apparent brain-damage.

He admittedly prayed for a just tiny bit of memory loss, just enough to cover up his latest and quite forgettable slip up. And when his wish had been granted... it was with a little too much enthusiasm, perhaps.

But...

She was behaving weirdly. She wasn't in shock. She wasn't terrified or upset. She wasn't... Max without her memory. She was someone else.

It troubled him that she didn't seem overly concerned by the whole situation. Her attitude was almost... carefree. Care_less_. Like knowing she was uninjured and safe was _enough_ for now.

It was the 'safe' part that bothered Alec the most. Because he knew it depended on _him_.

This brand new Max trusted him. Believed his tale when he told her _her_ life, confided in him to keep her safe while she was... _slightly_ not herself.

Alec had squeezed the whole of Max's life, from Manticore to Terminal City, in a two hour tale.

That wasn't a simple task of course, and she didn't make it any easier. She kept distracting him, with that unnerving smile that lingered on her lips, touching him every now and then, however unconsciously, looking at him with warm, _trusting_ eyes.

So he chose to show her the big picture and leave out the small, insignificant details, like his screw ups or the more poignant events of her life, like say... Logan.

Honestly, he was doing it for her own safety. He couldn't let her know how the 'fully functional' Max despised him, and not trusted him at all. Because they were a long way from home and he was the only one she could rely on. He couldn't allow her to doubt him for a second.

He was doing it to protect her... _Yeah, right_.

It was actually a pretty good excuse to feed Max once she recovered her memory. He just needed another one for not telling her about Logan. Would she fall for "I didn't want you to know how miserable your love life is?"

Well, if she didn't, he was in for an ass-whooping.

If she did... that meant bad-mouthing first, and kicking later.

Okay, he could live with a smiling, trusting and touching in a totally not hitting way Max. He could let her believe she _liked_ him. He could do that... for as long as it was needed. Even though if he would pay the price later. But then again...

This was too much.

"...are you going to take me out for dinner?"

Alec couldn't trust his own enhanced hearing anymore. If he did, then... that meant he really did just detect a not so hidden flirtatious note in her last question.

She seemed fine, really. Except for the bump on her head, she had some minor cuts and bruises due to the fall, but nothing serious. There was, of course, the memory thing, but Alec knew that they both had seen worse. And it wasn't like her brain had been formatted like say... after reindoctrination? No, it seemed more like a temporary, partial amnesia.

She did remember her name, didn't she? And his name too, for the matter. She hadn't bolted out of the motel room after he told her about daddy the cat and mommy the shark. She was quite comfortable in her empowered body as well, clearly exploiting her cat DNA to stretch her hot, tight, lithe body...

_Oh please, stop that!_ Alec mentally reproached himself. He was reacting like a hormonal teenager and really, he had _never been_ a hormonal teenager. Then again, he'd never been on the receiving end of Max's charm either. She genuinely seemed to like him. Even if...

Nope, this couldn't be true. And he should try to look at her behaviour from the correct perspective. For his own good.

She kinda remembered him, but not the history between them. For now, she knew he was like her, and that he had been taking care of her. _Hence, the trusting_.

And really... waking up without your memories was quite a scary experience, no doubt. Of course, she needed to feel reassured and all. _Hence, the touching. _

The teasing? Well, that could be easily explained too. Point in fact, even the bitchy-est Max couldn't have denied that 'Manticore knew how to make 'em pretty'. She had no reason to think differently now, and she wasn't biased. _Hence, the flirting_.

Yep, that seemed quite the logical reasoning for everything.

Or, he could reconsider the possibility of brain-damage.

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While she was wolfing down her chicken at a blurring speed, Alec had a little time to relax, with no strange behaviour on her part to over-analyze.

As long as he regarded her picking from his plate just as a hunger induced action. And her growl wasn't a growl, really. The girl was starving, damnit! It was only natural that her stomach would rumble. It was mere coincidence that it happened just when that pretty waitress had leaned a little closer towards him when she took their order.

Yeah, nothing to read into that. _Nothing_.

"...but I was sorta wondering about my sex life, you know? You haven't forgotten to tell me I turn into a nun or something, right?"

She was talking again. And he really should stop spacing out and pay attention.

_Get a grip, boy,_ Alec mused to himself. _She is has amnesia. And you should be the responsible one and helpfully provide her with all the answers she needs and... wait a minute... sex life???_

Alec was utterly shocked. And it didn't help seeing that cocky grin on her luscious lips.

Nope. No way. _He_ was supposed to grin cockily and talk about sex!

Maybe he's gotten his head knocked too, and they both woke up in this alternate reality where Max was smug and cheeky and he was the prude. And... and she was talking again!

"...it seems quite a logical conclusion, since from what _you_ told me we spent so much time together, at work, during missions of any kind, or heists. And at... Crash? Plus, you did sleep on my bed when I was unconscious... and that's boyfriendly. Or well... creepy. I refuse to believe the nun possibility, and I've already discarded the pervert theory... how come you hadn't mentioned how and when we hooked up?"

Yeah. He definitely got knocked on his head as well. He could clearly feel the dizziness now.

TBC


	3. Damned if I do, damned if I don't

A/N: just Alec's POV this time. Enjoy :D

Jenwin23 took her time to show me the errors of my way... thank you, girl :)

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Alec paled.

Max, not-if-my-life-depended-on-it Max, was asking him how and when they hooked up? As in... the two of them, _together_? Oh boy, this was definitively torture. He kinda missed the physical pain now. But judging by the increasing annoyed expression on her gorgeous face, he was going to face that too.

_Think Alec, think! _

How could one innocent question from a lost little girl scare the shit out of him? He'd faced death a gazillion times, he'd survived Manticore for god's sake!

Of course, 'old' Max would have served his ass for just _thinking_ of her like that. And 'new' Max's questions were anything but innocent. But he was one of Manticore's finest, smart-aleck extraordinaire. He would walk out of this. Preferably alive.

Time for a plan.

First, distract the enemy. Made her lose focus, exploit her weak spots.

Second, use those precious moments to elaborate a winning strategy.

Third, think of a way of escape, because given his track record, sooner or later he would badly need one.

Alec knew Max's weaknesses better than his own, so the first part was a piece of cake, really. But... he could take advantage of these circumstances in which, for the first time ever, Max seemed genuinely to like him. As in _like_ him.

Oi, he really didn't mean that. Let's say... he could accomplish 'phase one' in a pleasant way. For both of them.

Suddenly, his smile was blinding. His whole body oozed confidence and sensuality, and his voice, like liquid sex, caressed her.

"Well Maxie" he drawled, leaning into her personal space, "I was saving the best for the end, honey".

Alec could feel Max's body heat increase... and see the blush spreading from places he'd better not to think of, for his own sanity. Her eyes, a little unfocused, were drawn to his lips, and... she was fooled.

Right, for a second.

Her cheeks were still a pretty shade of pink, but her eyebrow, dangerously arched, signalled that his time was up.

"Can't wait for that, _sugar_" Max purred back, with a glint in her amused brown eyes that told him she was enjoying herself too, but not too much to forget her question.

Oh, shit. Screw the first part. Yeah, he got the girl all flustered in a second, and that was a first. But clearly not enough. He hadn't managed to sidetrack Max even for a little while.

A little part of him was pleased, though. Max was still... _Max_. As long as he welcomed the recent, pretty enjoyable changes in their interaction, and revelled how he could affect her, he didn't want a pliant, yielding girl. Ok, scratch that. He had _dreamed_ of a pliant Max in his arms... but the truth was, he had fallen in love with a glaring, scowling chick and, no matter how pathetic it was, he didn't really wish for her to change that much. Except for the 'pliant in his arms' part, of course.

Alec sighed deeply. An old TV hung on the wall was quietly buzzing, the usual chase party running on the screen, and their empty dishes still waited to be collected from the waitress who studiously avoided their table. People around them were minding their own business, unaware and probably uncaring of his little dilemma. But then, to anyone looking their way he was just the luckiest guy, with such a beauty clearly about to eat him up. He was the only one who knew said girl would probably _beat_ him up if he didn't come up with a satisfying answer.

He didn't have many options, really. Tell her the truth, and let her beat the shit out of him because he hadn't come clean sooner, or lie to her and enjoy... a few days maybe? of unthinkable, scorching bliss. Then, Max would recover her memories, and he'd die a happy man.

As much as the second choice was tempting, Alec knew that he'd do nothing to jeopardize the friendship and trust he and Max had only recently shared. He sighed again, and dejectedly averted his eyes, because he couldn't stand to look into her warm, inviting eyes and see her beautiful face turn cold with contempt.

"See, Maxie, our story had a rocky start and, unbelievable as it may seem, you haven't liked me for a long time". He used a light tone to test the water, and then ventured a glance in her direction. The sincere look of incredulity in her eyes was the most rewarding thing ever, and Alec cursed under his breath.

He couldn't believe he was doing this! Ruining his only chance at the... briefest happily ever after in the history of mankind, right.

_Don't make it harder, Maxie, please! _

He groaned but went on, merciless. "They paired us, back at Manticore, as breeding partners. They ordered me to get you pregnant. The first time we met, and I barged into your cell, undressing and talking about _copulation_. I asked you to remove your clothes with the same impassive tone you use to order chinese take away on the phone, only minding to get over that as soon as I could, and I didn't even restrain myself from letting you know that it wasn't... a plum assignment for me."

Max was a little taken aback, and Alec waited almost impatiently for the first onslaught of loathing.

It never came. She was trying to evaluate the new information but seemed just more confused than disappointed.

"We didn't..." she trailed off, unsure.

"No, we didn't".

"That means _you_ didn't". Her tone was suddenly confident, and her eyes, unwavering, challenged him to deny it. "You didn't force yourself on me, you didn't follow your orders. You were still a 'good soldier' back then, right? Still, you disobeyed... just because I said 'no'? And you didn't even try..."

"No!" Alec nearly shouted. Sure, he wanted her to see his true, sadly screwed up himself, but even in his lowest moment he hadn't ever thought of something like that. Anyway, his plan B "be honest with the girl as she deserves" was kinda backfiring. He must try harder...

"But I... I took your cot, and I let you sleep on the floor!" O_h god! how lame is that?_

"I see. That was plain evil..." Max agreed, trying hard not to giggle.

She sobered up fast, and when she spoke again, her tone was playful and just a little teasing. "From what you told me, that was likely the _hardest_ assignment Manticore gave me. So tell me, Alec... are there any other remarkable facts I should know from our first days of acquaintance?"

"You... named me. Alec. From... smart aleck, you know? As in... obnoxiously self-assertive. A pain in the ass, basically. Right from the start."

"I named you?" Max beamed, looking quite proud. "That was nice of me, wasn't it?"

Since he was the only one remembering the whole scene, Alec just snorted a little. Sure, now he knew the difference between a name and a designation. And to be honest, Max had begrudgingly helped a lot with that. She had been right, too: _Alec_ did suite him more than 494. All the same, _nice of her_ was a little too far fetched.

Max frowned at his reaction. "You could have changed it, if you wanted right?" she asked a bit petulantly. "But since you stick with it... I must suppose you like it. Or you keep it just because _I_ gave it to you? What if I came up with... Ed, as in Special Ed? Would you have kept it?" she asked with a triumph note in her voice.

_You did think of Dick! Not that I'm gonna tell you. Ever. _

Ok, round one was for Max. And he _got_ sidetracked, as the whole point of this was to show her that he was trustworthy even in a situation that just called for one of his evil schemes. That's the reward for honesty?

And that should have been easy! Easy, like recalling the second time he had done wrong to her. Like say... when he had pretended to help her, and just did nothing to prevent her from killing the love of her life. Logan was still alive, sure, but not thanks to him. Alec shrouded lightly. _Logan_. That was a big can of worms, no kidding. A can he had carefully avoided till now. He simply couldn't find the courage for that. He and Max, just the two of them, in whatever degree of love/hate relationship, he could manage. But Logan was just too much.

_Yeah, leave the bespectacled wonder as the last nail of your coffin, you moron._

Well, he could simply skip to his next 'quite forgettable slip up', couldn't he?

"I tried to kill you" he mumbled, quite indistinctly.

This totally got her attention. "What? _You tried to kill me? _I guess 'tried' is the operative word here, because I'm still breathing and all. But... care to elaborate?"

"Do you really think there is something to elaborate? I mean... I TRIED TO KILL YOU. What can I possibly add to make it better?"

Alec was getting angry now, and frustrated. Damn, the girl was stubborn! That was a cruel joke if he ever saw one. From the beginning, Max hadn't trusted him every time he did (or tried to do) something good or selfless. Now, she doubted him when he spoke ill of himself. He was sooo screwed.

"Yeah, you can _make it better, _asshole!" Max said angrily. She was all flustered again, and not in the good way this time. All the same, she was quite a view. Cheeks burning, nostril flaring, and fire dancing in those chocolate eyes. Her body was taut with the tension, and she was advancing on him in an intimidating manner. Alec surely hadn't lost his touch.

"You can't sit there and conversationally tell someone who barely remembers her own name, that you _tried to kill her!_ What about a _why_, Alec? And why 'tried', for the matter? Because I kicked your sorry ass, like I wanna do now?"

"Like you usually do, for the record. But no, that time... you couldn't have done it. I... I stunned you. And I had every intention of killing you and cutting off your barcode, as a bloody neat proof of purchase".

It wouldn't help telling her that he had gone for Joshua first. That didn't make him a better guy. And then, after discovering that Dog Boy hadn't been branded, he had turned to her. To kill her.

"You want to know why, Max? Because 'I was a cold blooded opportunistic show off who thought he could run his game on a major bad guy who it turned out was even a bigger scumbag than I was'. That's pretty much how it happened... Bigger scumbag attached a bomb to my brain stem. He asked me to kill transgenics in exchange for my life."

"Why you didn't?" Max's voice was barely a whisper now. Her rage had somewhat evaporated during his explanation, and her eyes showed only confusion and insecurity.

"What?"

"Why you didn't kill me. You could have done it. You used... a stun gun maybe? And I was there, at your mercy. But you didn't. You didn't kill me to save yourself. You came close but... you _didn't_. Why?"

"Because you didn't believe I could do it." Damn, that was so hard. Could this be more painful? No wonder he used to lie all the time. "You were lying there, vulnerable and trembling, and I was ready to do it. Still, you couldn't believe I was capable of doing it. You called my name, not to beg for your life, but to ask me how I could do that. And suddenly I couldn't anymore. You believed I couldn't, and I believed in you. That's why, Maxie."

"Oh."

Speechless Max was as rare as flirty Max. Good, all this emotional stuff was getting to him, and he really needed a break. But seeing her exhaling he knew she hadn't finished yet.

"So... I was right, then. You _couldn't_." The uncertainty was gone, and a small, content smile curled her lips. Then she remembered something, and frowned slightly. "How come you're still alive?"

Alec let out a humorless laugh. "You saved my ass, Maxie. That's another thing you do on regular basis. And, for the life of me, I still don't know why. Maybe when you regain your memory you'll explain?" he half joked.

He saw Max averting her eyes, like she was really pondering his question. She was lost in thoughts for a few moments, and then she faced him again. Alec couldn't help but stared at her, a little bewildered. The smile was back, and her eyes were laughing.

Like she knew a secret or an obvious truth that, maliciously, wasn't gonna share with him.

TBC

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A/N2: thanks to Dazedizzy for _Ed, as in Special Ed_ :D


	4. Baby's got blue eyes

AN: again, jenwin23 beta'd this and saved my day... :D

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Alec warily watched Max, while rubbing out the kinks on his neck.

"You really know how to make a guy feel at ease, don't you?" he muttered, awkwardly admitting his feelings.

"Are you telling me I make you nervous?" Max asked coyly, looking at him through her eyelashes.

"Yeah."

Alec's admission warmed Max's heart. Her life was out of control right now, and even if said lack of control gave her an unexplainable sensation of freedom, she was acutely aware of the note of panic lurking in her mind. If said panic wasn't at full throttle it was clearly thanks to Alec. Now for instance, he was generously giving her the upper hand where he could, even if it made him feel uncomfortable. She had a sneaking feeling that he usually wasn't _that_ open, but since he did know her better than she knew herself, he was giving her some kind of power over him to make her feel better.

_Awww, __sooo cute!_ Max gushed to herself. _I can't really take advantage of all this sweetness, can I?_

The smile on her pouty lips became predatory for the briefest moment, and then resumed a bashful appearance. She leaned closer to him, and absent-mindedly began toying with a loose thread of his long sleeve. When she talked again, Max sounded innocently worried even to her own ears.

"Alec..." she exhaled, seemingly gathering up her courage, "you've got nothing to hide, right? Cuz you still haven't answered my question and I'm getting slightly antsy here... About _us_, you know?"

_Well... I guess I can._

Yes, the provocative note in her voice was almost undetectable.

Almost.

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Alec groaned. Oh yeah, he had caught the sudden, quick change in Max's smile, and the sultry undertone in her not so innocent voice.

She was playing havoc with his senses. And his mind. Her body was so close that he didn't dare breathe too deeply because her smell alone was intoxicating, let alone her hands which were distractedly touching his in feather-like caresses raising goose bumps on his heated skin.

But the state of his mind was even worse. He seemed to recall a time when he could talk himself out of anything. Now his happiness was at stake, and he could barely remember his name. Hell, even Max with amnesia had done better!

Alec knew this was the turning point. He was determined to tell her the truth, still he realized how in her unbiased condition Max would be more perceptive of her own feelings. Like the smartest blade runner, he needed to walk a precarious balance along the line of what to tell her and what to... forget to mention. He needed to make her see with her own eyes. And since she was surprisingly doing a lot of work on her own, his part should have been as easy as stealing candy from a baby. He just had to nudge her in the right direction.

Too bad he was envying the acuity of a retarded sloth right now.

"We're not like that!" Alec blurted out.

Oh.My.God! He couldn't believe his own words! Max wasn't going to let him live through that, he was sure. Not now, given the dangerous glint in her narrowed eyes, and not later when she'd recover her memory. How many times he had mocked and sneered at her when she used those exact words to describe her non-relationship with Loggie boy? He was giving her more ammo than she needed, no kidding.

What now? He needed to obfuscate. Manipulate the obvious meaning of his idiotic statement. Lie and...

"Oh crap! I can't do that!"

"Do what?"

"Huh? Did I say that out loud? Great! This is getting better and better. Just got the chance of a lifetime on a silver platter and I... Urgh! I can't believe this! You know Max... I really miss you. You know... _you_. I mean, you never let me go that far with my stupid ramblings. You just slap me or punch me or--- Ouch! That was uncalled for!" he cried out, nursing the offended arm.

"D'ya think? You were begging for it!"

Max was pouting now. He had been begging to be hit, hadn't he? Alec chuckled softly. One way or another, she was going to be the death of him, he knew.

He exhaled, and tried to collect his thoughts.

_Just keep it simple. For your own sake, boy!_

Easier said than done, mate. How could he keep his cool when he was losing himself into those warm, deep, bottomless pools?

"What I'm saying is, we're not like that _yet_. Lots of baggage and history and such. The road is long and winding, you know? But it goes in that direction, I'm sure of it. I mean... we're always at each other's throats, and you just keep manhandling me, have right from the start. That's attraction. Maybe not for normal people, but for us? _Foreplay_. And then there is the trusting thing. I got your back, you got mine. I always understood that, it comes with being transgenics. But you added a whole new dimension to that, the night I got arrested and, after saving my butt, again, we talked. Like for the first time _ever_. Yeah, that night there was more. That night you don't remember now, but that it's branded on my soul forever, you chose _me_. Not Logan, not even Cindy or big, loving Joshua. Me, old screwed up Alec. So I guess, maybe that's the reason you keep saving my ass, and I keep coming back every time you push me harder. Oh God, that's unbelievable!" Alec let out a frustrated sigh, his free hand ruffling his hair. "For once you want to talk, but you don't remember what we're talking about! Or better: what_ I _am talking about."

Max had no clue, indeed. But she was hanging on his words, brows furrowed, hands motionless on his. She was clearly trying to find an echo of his words, of the meaning of them, in her blank memory. Her efforts were encouraging, a soothing balm on Alec's bruised hopes.

_Tell me that I'm not being delusional Max__ie! Tell me that you did choose me, and that there is something here... _

"Tell me that I don't always go for the ones I can't have..." he murmured quietly to himself.

Alec didn't realize that he had actually whispered the last sentence until Max's hands gripped his wrist. His eyes snapped back on her in an instant, but he couldn't utter a single word.

She was so damn close! Max's cheeks were slightly flushed, her chocolate eyes fixed on his lips, black hair framing her face, and draping a curtain that protected and isolated them both from the rest of the world. So close, impossibly close...

Oh shit! When did she get _that_ close?

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His words and the rich sound of his voice had drawn Max to Alec. He was too lost in his own thoughts to notice, but she was almost sitting on his lap by now, her attention torn between her mind and her body. She badly wanted to remember, but the unconscious signals that Alec's body was sending were driving her crazy.

But at the last sentence, her thoughts and physical sensations collided as a memory came crashing into focus, and drug her somewhere in her past.

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"_...I__ always go for the ones I can't have..."_

_Loud music, colored lights and shadows. Lots of people, men and semi-naked girls walking around._

_She was sitting on Alec's lap, her hand entangled in his hair, his firmly settled on her hips. He was talking, but she wasn't really paying attention, until he said something that pissed her off._

_Logan__. Who? Someone she knew? Not that she cared, anyway._

_And a virus. What virus? Weren't they supposed to be immune to anything or what?_

_Whatever it was, oh boy she could feel the anger of her old self cursing __through her body. But was that just anger? Because the moment she grabbed him, pulling him against her, so close that they were breathing the same air, a strong, unbidden emotion overwhelmed the familiar anger. Before past Max could recognize it, someone called them, breaking the spell, leaving present Max with a sneaky suspicion..._

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"Max! Maxie... Are you okay?" Alec's concerned voice replaced the stranger's, and she blinked twice, fighting a wave of dizziness.

While reliving the memory, Max had unconsciously shifted in the same position they had back then. She didn't mind being that close to Alec, but it sure didn't help with rational thinking. She pulled back abruptly, startling him.

She needed some fresh air. Or better, she needed to splash cold water on her flustered cheeks to extinguish the fire Alec had ignited in her blood.

A memory! She had remembered something finally, and she wanted to analyze it to make the most of it. And she needed a clear head to do that...

And then, there was Alec's speech. She had to reflect on that too, and... wait. _Not like that_, huh? Max wasn't sure why, but that irked her sooo much. She wasn't really angry, just fucking annoyed. She hadn't answered him yet, and she could see a hint of worry in his hazel eyes. But most of all, he was squirming, waiting for her reaction to his words.

Yeah, squirming. She liked that...

Max put her palms flat on his chest, using him to steady herself and standing up. Before heading to the women's bathroom, she sighed deeply.

"I wouldn't say 'okay', you know?" she said dejectedly. "I mean... no sex with the hot boyfriend. No hot boyfriend _at all!_ Way to let down a poor, hurt girl..." Max trailed off, sounding miserable like a kicked puppy. Then she turned, and walked away, her shoulders sagged.

Alec never saw the malicious grin adorning her pouty lips.

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"M-Max?" Oh, for heaven's sake! He couldn't even utter a word without stuttering now? And that disgustingly pleading tone?

_Get your __transgenic ass in gear and stop her, you twit! Get the girl, __**now!**_

"Max!" he shouted again, way more manly this time. Unluckily, in his haste to reach her he almost knocked her off. Max clutched his shirt to keep her balance, and his hands grabbed her waist.

"Listen, Max..." Actually, Alec didn't know what to say, but he felt no relief when a familiar voice coming from the TV caught Max's attention.

"Do not attempt to adjust your set, this is a streaming video bulletin... it cannot be traced, it cannot be stopped. This is the only free voice left in America. Eyes Only..."

Unbelievable! Alec groaned out loud. Yeah, he got the girl in his arms, and there she stood, mesmerized, looking with dreamy eyes at her forgotten-but-unforgettable, _never_-like-that boyfriend!

Not that he had done better, anyway. The not-at-all hot boyfriend?

Alec saw Max visibly snapping out of whatever trance she got in after seeing the love of her life. Or ex love of her life? Or love of her ex life? He chuckled bitterly.

"I'll give it to you, roller-boy. You know how to make an entry!"

Max looked at him quizzically. "So... friend of yours?" She said sweetly. "Awww, look at those baby blues! They're so... soulful, don't you think?" Max sighed, seemingly lost in sweet memories. Then she turned, and her eyes locked unwavering with his. Her grip on his shirt tightened, and she stretched a little to reach his ear. Alec could almost feel her sultry smile on his skin while she murmured to him.

"Isn't it a real shame that I'm into hazel these days, huh?"

Had he really felt her lips brushing his cheek in a ghost-like kiss? Max released her grip, and let her hands slide over his chest in a light caress leaving a burning trail that, miraculously, didn't turn the shirt into ashes. She took a few steps back, and then tilted her face to one side, assessing with a satisfied smirk the irreparable damage she had just caused his poor mental health.

"I need a few secs in the lady's room," she said. Then, as a second thought, she added, purring: "Wait for me, will ya?"

Yeah, right. Even a tornado couldn't have moved him right now.

TBC 


End file.
